Degradação da casca de coco verde e seco por hidrólise alcalina na compostagem ou cobertura morta

Abstract

Coconut cultivation is one of the main socioeconomic activities in the Northeast region, however, for non-agricultural purposes, only part of the husks generated from the use of ripe fruits is used. The surplus, as well as the green coconut husks resulting from its agro-industrial or in natura use, result in major environmental problems, caused by significant volumes of waste. Therefore, recycling organic waste through composting is an important strategy. However, coconut husk has a high C/N ratio and high lignin content, requiring longer processing time. The development of knowledge about the acceleration of the degradation of the green coconut shell and the dry coconut will represent a technological advance for the use of these residues, with positive impacts on the economy and on the environment. Thus, an alternative would be to try to accelerate its degradation by pre-treating the fiber with an alkalizing agent(alkaline hydrolysis). In turn, the expansion of pig and sheep farming in Brazil also results in strong environmental impacts, are important sources of N and demand greater integration with other agricultural production systems. Thus, the present research aims to evaluate the acceleration of the composting of the green coconut husk with swine manure and of the dry coconut husks used as sheep litter, submitted or not to previous alkaline hydrolysis, using for this, the fractionation of the constituents of the fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) and the hemicellulose/lignin ratio. Samples collected in three different experiments developed in the municipality of Viçosa (CCS x swine manure), Barra de Santo Antônio (CCS as sheep bedding) and Boca da Mata (CVV x mulch), Alagoas. it is concluded that the strategies for accelerating the fiber degradation of the VCC and CCS with its use as mulch and alkaline hydrolysis (hydrated lime) showed more discreet effects than those obtained in the tested compost windrows.

Keywords: Composting, Coconut fibers, Hydrated lime, Sheep farming.